Audra’s adventures studying abroad in Montevideo, Uruguay

El Nuevo Normal

I haven’t really posted anything besides photos in almost a month, so I figured it was time for an update. Blogging isn’t something that really sits at the forefront of my mind, and a big part of that is the feeling that I don’t have anything particularly interesting to talk about. However, I think a big part of that is because of the routine I’ve established here. My life is different here – massively different than it would be in Norman or especially Tulsa. After four months, though, it just becomes the new normal. With that in mind, I realize that I can’t lose sight of the beauty or the comfort that I find in different places here. I only have about a month and a half left, and I’m trying to find a balance between enjoying life as someone who has a routine here, and someone who wants to continue exploring at every turn. With all that in mind, here are a few assorted highlights that I haven’t shared on this blog!

Law Cat

A cat followed a girl into my History of Law class. Yes, it was noteworthy.

Art Museum Visits

I absolutely loved this painting that we saw in Museo Gurvich in Ciudad Vieja. I took so many pictures that I may have to create a special album for museum visits.Taken at the spectacular Museo Nacional de Artes VisualesAlso from MNAV

GET RIGHT UP ON THAT SIGN.

Presented without comment.

Day Trip to Minas

I RODE A HORSE!The Spanish term for “horseback riding” is “cabalgatas.” No, we don’t know why either.We climbed WAY too many stairs too see the Salto at Salto de Penitente.The other side of the waterfall

Street Art

These can serve as a sneak peek for another gallery that’s coming soon – street art of Montevideo. This one is my absolute favorite.Yes, the fan is real.

Finally, after all this talk of beauty and the adventures I’ve had, it feels wrong not to acknowledge when I’m writing this. Just two days ago, the worst mass shooting in American history took place in Orlando. My heart has been heavy during these hours, and I wonder if it would be worse if I were still in the States. I try to separate my political views from what I post on Facebook, but my friendships and identity continue drawing me into the discussions at the heart of this tragedy. The truth is, though, I don’t know what to say. I don’t know how to say it. I am thankful to my friends for fighting for the remembrance of the identities of the victims – this attack targeted LGBTQ+ people, and many of the victims were Latinx. Like most of us, I think I’m in shock right now. And I’ve been plagued with a uniquely American curse – numbness. It’s hard to process that this even happened when there was another shooting a few weeks ago, and then a few weeks before that, adding up month by month across our country. However, tragedies like this only confirm even further that advocacy and activism are where I belong. I don’t have more to say right now, but I certainly will soon. We cannot let 50 lives be extinguished only to be followed by more complacency.

Thank you all for constantly checking in and keeping up with my blog – it means the world, and I love you all.